An Online Media Startup Read My Medium Article and Asked to Interview My Husband and Me. Here’s Why I Said No.
You need to protect yourself and your creative work
I was surprised when I found a private message from an online media startup on my Instagram account.
The startup employee had read my Medium article My Autistic Love Story. They wanted to interview my husband and me and share our story with the world.
At first, I was skeptical. I’m always suspicious when I receive a DM from someone I don’t know on social media.
I asked my husband what he thought. He was willing to get interviewed. So, it was up to me.
I wondered if this was the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity the Universe had sent me. What if the interview would bring me the exposure I needed to take my writing career to the next level?
Eventually, I said no. This is why.
The startup doesn’t pay the people they interview
The startup company doesn’t pay the people they interview. They noticed my autistic love story was worth sharing. They would probably have made money with it.
I decided I wasn’t OK with a startup company making money with my story. I’m an autistic person with limited energy. I’m also a professional writer.
Of course, I want to share information about life as an autistic person. Giving an interview to a startup with millions of followers might have helped me do that.
But the startup is not a charity. They make money by sharing people’s stories.
It would take hours of my time to get interviewed and shoot videos for the company. I could use those hours for paid work.
If someone is going to get paid for telling my story, I should be that person
Writing on Medium can lead to new opportunities. Getting contacted by the startup made me realize that. But should you take all the opportunities that come on your way? No.
You need to know your worth. If a company wants to interview you because of your Medium article, your ideas have value. That includes financial value.
It wasn’t like the startup company had found my husband and me somewhere and thought: “Hey, let’s tell the world the love story of this autistic couple! It would make great journalism.”
The idea was mine in the first place. If someone is going to get paid for telling my story, I should be that person.
It wasn’t a clear yes
I also said no to the opportunity because it wasn’t a clear yes to me.
If it isn’t a clear yes, then it’s a clear no.
Greg McKeown in Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
If you only say yes to the opportunities that make you think hell yeah, you don’t stretch yourself too thin.
When you’re not sure if you should take an opportunity or not, you probably shouldn’t. If it was a clear yes-opportunity, you wouldn’t hesitate in the first place.
Protect yourself and your creative work
It can be flattering when a big company approaches you on social media and says they liked your article. But don’t agree on any collaboration too fast.
Companies, influencers, and individuals are happy to take advantage of writers and other creative workers.
The first thing you should ask yourself is: “What’s in it for me?”
I’m curious. Has a company, influencer, etc., contacted you about your Medium article and asked for an interview? Did you say yes or no? Please share your experience in the comments!
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